Writing poetry has always been sacred to me ever since I learned the craft. I write to reflect my mind and soul to whoever gives me an ear. And that is what I assume poetry to be about. But, there are other benefits that you can grab by writing poetry. So, here are 5 reasons why you should write poetry.
“One word, a stanza, a poem can change a lot about your life”
5 reasons why you should write poetry
YOU CAN MAKE MONEY WITH POETRY: Bet you didn’t know that. There are a lot of poetry competitions with good cash prizes. Here are some of the poetry competitions that you should look out for if you are African.
The Brunel International Africa Poetry Prize The Oxford Brookes Poetry Center International Poetry CompetitionThe Oxford Brookes Poetry Center International Poetry Competition
A GOOD WAY TO SELF-EXPRESS. Not everyone understands how we feel, what we are going through, or what we want. And sometimes, we just can never say it out loud. Poetry has that ability in it. It gives you the opportunity to express your thoughts and feelings without being judged. If it wasn’t for poetry, I do not know which window my sanity would’ve fallen out of. My breakups, moments of bliss, happiness, and sadness have all been breathed out through the words I write. Read some of my work
A Story Called My Life, a poem by Louisa Msiska
IT ALLOWS YOU TO CONNECT. The power that pieces of poems have is so big that most do not know. The power to connect with different people through words, to dig deep in their emotions, and fully describe their feelings. THAT IS THE POWER OF POETRY. Plus, writing can connect you to the poetry community that includes both poets and poetry lovers. Through this community, you are guaranteed great friendships, mentorship, and other opportunities available.
IT BUILDS YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLECT. When we hear poetry we think of fancy words, words only the dictionary knows. But to the poet, they are offered new meanings. You tend to crave to learn new words to improve your craft which then widens your knowledge and intellect. Therefore, you do not write the big words just because they look and sound fancy, but because you know them well enough to fit them in sentences.
BREAK THE RULES DAMMIT! English is a language that has a lot of rules. Society has way too many freaking rules on how we speak, act, etc. With poetry, you embrace a new kind of freedom, no rules apply, just you and wordplay. For example, in Malawi, it is almost taboo to sing, act, paint or write about SEX. Sex is seen as something strong and something only talked about in whispers in our culture. Now imagine, a girl like me writing deep erotic poetry and publishing them for the world. My poetry, my rules. See where I am going with this?
Jealous, a poem by Louisa Msiska
I could only offer 5 reasons why you should write poetry but if someone has more, please state them in the comment section for others to also see.
Auvoir!!
Fantatic